Tuesday, August 9, 2011

File under: Things I need in my life immediately! VICE Books has just announced the release of Fashion Cats, "Feline Couture from Japan's #1 Cat Tailor!" aka the greatest cat fashion photography book the world has ever seen, at least since Glamourpuss: The Enchanting World of Kitty Wigs was released back in 2009.

In the book, Takako Iwasa (aka Prin Mama) decks out her beloved cats in the latest Japanese feline fashions of her own design. We also get an inside look at Princess Prin and Prince Kotaro her "soul-cat-mates" turned muses, who reportedly "don't get out of bed for less than the best catnip and 10,000 American dollars a day."

To give you a better idea of what you're in for, check out this snippet from the book, where fashion cat Prin reveals, “My name is Princess Prin. I came from a distant planet called Planet Prin. The long flowing dress and the tiara on my head give fine testimony to my status as a princess. Now, why don’t you become a princess too?”

According to the publisher, "Takako Iwasa fatefully met her beloved cat Prin in 1999. Just one year later, she received a message from the universe telling her to “Do something this year!” So, naturally, she began making clothes for cats." Naturally!

Shortly thereafter, Iwasa launched the successful online cat fashion boutique Cat Prin - Tailor of a Cat, published two books in Japan, and taught cat-tailoring classes. However, it wasn't until an appearance on a VICE VBS.TV episode of The Cute Show in 2009 that she, Prin and Kotaro gained international celebrity status.

Yes, I'm a junkie for cats wearing clothing, and this book pretty much looks an like instant classic to me. For all of their efforts to bring me joy, I can only hope that Princess Prin and Prince Kotaro are afforded the luxury of getting high off the finest catnip before pooping in their rhinestone encrusted litter boxes.

Fashion Cats by Takako Iwasa, published by VICE Books and distributed by powerHouse books is available now on Amazon, and wherever fine books are sold.